


Returning the favor

by Ino_chan



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gaara wants to help but doesn't know how, Kakashi's schemes usually work out so it will probably be fine..., M/M, My First Fanfic, Naruto is depressed over Sasuke, Post-War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-26 09:56:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9884834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ino_chan/pseuds/Ino_chan
Summary: After the war, Naruto is having trouble adjusting. With Sasuke gone for goof, he's not sure what his wants to do anymore. After all, someone who can't even save one friend can't be a Hokage can they? But someone isn't happy seeing Naruto, the hero of the fourth great ninja war so worn down. Can Gaara help Naruto realize what's important?





	1. Chapter 1 - Prologue

The first time Gaara had noticed that his feelings for Naruto were different than his feelings for other people, was the day he'd seen Naruto finally lose control of himself.

No, it hadn't been a Junchuriki type rampage like Gaara would have expected. It was the day Naruto's friends had come to deliver the news that they would come together as a village to take Sasuke down for good.

Gaara and his teammates had found Kakashi and discussed matters with him, aligning to Kakashi's role as the interim hokage, hoping that the alliance would allow for a steady flow of information between the villages. After all, the ability to keep Naruto and Bee safe wouldn't be easy without the cooperation of the villages. 

Gaara wasn't surprised that it had come to this. He knew that if he'd ever committed the atrocities that the rogue leaf ninja had done, his village would not rest until he was destroyed. But then again, the leaf village had always been so different than the sand village, always united going out of their way to help their own. 

The Kazekage had given Naruto the best advice he could; to understand that Sasuke was already too deep in the darkness to save, and that Naruto should do what he could as a friend to prevent further atrocities from occurring. Gaara hated seeing Naruto so conflicted. Naruto's eyes had even lost some of their vibrance that was always present. Naruto was hanging onto the old Sasuke and Gaara knew there was no saving the other boy, but it seemed Naruto just wasn't willing to accept that. The redhead wasn't sure the optimistic blonde ever would.

Gaara planned to leave with his siblings, but stayed for a few moments more to hear the plans of the leaf ninja and what they would do from here on out. 

The redhead was the first to notice something was wrong with the leaf Jinchuuriki. Naruto's eyes had lost their focus and seemed far off, before suddenly going wide. The stress of the situation, and what would soon happen all finally caught up with Naruto. 

One moment he'd been fine, and the next all Gaara could hear were Naruto's gasps as he struggled to take in air. Yamato, Sai and Kakashi had moved closer to the young ninja to help try to calm him down, but the blonde was having none of it.

Naruto batted them away and began to run. He couldn't be around them right now. They weren't helping. None of them understood; how could they? They didn't understand Sasuke. He wasn't a bad guy, he was just confused...and Oorochimaru had led him astray. Naruto would be able to bring him back with enough time. 

But then again, maybe he was wrong. After all, Sasuke had attacked Bee, trying to steal the 8 tails. Bee's students wanted revenge on Sasuke. Even the Raikage wanted revenge on Sasuke. Gaara had stated if Sasuke came at them as part of Akatsuki, Gaara wouldn't hold back

Naruto finally stopped his running when his lungs felt like they could take no more. The blonde brought himself to rest at the base of one of the many snow-covered trees. He couldn't quite intake enough air to keep up with his constant running. In fact, it felt as though he couldn't pull in any air at all. He knew he needed to calm down, but every time he tried to close his eyes and calm himself, all he could see were his comrades collecting together, organizing themselves to take Sasuke down for good. Neither ending to that was acceptable. 

Sasuke was a skilled ninja, capable of defeating his friends, Naruto had no doubt how it would end, but losing his other friends was not something he'd be able to forgive. He had no idea what to do. He had to hurry and bring Sasuke back before any of them had encountered the rogue ninja. Naruto couldn't just sit here idly while his friends risked their lives.

His inability to draw in air was already becoming too much for him. He brought his hands to his throat and began clawing at it, trying to get air through. His chest felt like it was about to explode and nothing seemed to be helping.

He couldn't stay here and panic, he had to calm down, he had to get to Sasuke, he had to---

Naruto was shocked to find his hands being pulled away from his neck, and even as he struggled to bring them back, he found he had no power against the force. His eyes traveled down to his hands, locking on the sand which held them captive.

Naruto's eyes darted around landing on the red head who was slowly approaching.

“Naruto” he said calmly bringing himself to kneel before the leaf ninja.

The Kazekage met the blonde's eyes and could only see the sheer panic setting in. He could hear the labored attempts at breathing, and was at a loss of what to do to help Naruto, though he was confident that keeping the ninja from injuring himself was a step in the right direction.

“You need to calm down” he instructed, though as he said it, he knew it was a lost cause. Just telling the blonde that wasn't going to help anything. He tried to think of what he could do to calm the other ninja down. He wasn't used to these kind of reactions from people, and he would never be the one considered to go to for help with them. 

After everything Naruto had done to help him, it pained Gaara to watch Naruto despair while he was helpless to aid the boy. -

He didn't have much time to consider this however, as finally the lack of air finally overcame Naruto's tenacity. The blonde's eyes rolled back and he pitched forward, unable to retain consciousness.

It took little effort for Gaara to catch the leaf ninja. He held Naruto still for a moment, finding relief in the fact that Naruto's breathing had started to even out. It was a strange feeling for Gaara, rarely having people this close to him, let alone resting against him for support. He remained still for a few minutes until he was sure the blonde would not regain consciousness anytime soon. He scooped the other ninja up in his arms, and shifted him around, making him easier to carry.

He began the trek back to the cabin Naruto and Yamato had been staying at. He returned to a curious stare from Sai as he approached the cabin carrying Konoha's unpredictable ninja bridal style, but no one dared to comment. He'd volunteered to be the one to chase down the panicked ninja, and no one had seen fit to argue with the Kazekage.

 

“Bring him inside.” Kakashi instructed as he led the way. Gaara did as asked and followed the future Hokage inside into the nearest room where he could set the blonde down for inspection.

Kakashi looked him over briefly before summing up that the blonde would be fine.

“We'll need to give him time to rest and work things out” Kakashi explained.

Now that Gaara had seen the blonde was safe, it was time for him to go. There were many things that still needed to be planned and discussed with his village and he couldn't afford the time to stay and chat with the leaf ninja. He took one look back at the blonde seemingly peaceful in slumber. 

Gaara hadn't had much against Sasuke before but as saw the turmoil the raven haired ninja was putting a fellow Jinchuriki through, he felt anger and resentment bubble up. Naruto had done nothing to deserve this treatment. 

It was on the way back to his own village that Gaara was finally able to identify the feeling he had towards Naruto. It was akin to the one he'd felt for his whole village. He wanted to protect Naruto much in the way he'd wanted to protect his own people. Naruto understood Gaara in a way no one else could, and Gaara hoped the reverse was true. He would find a way to help Naruto through this some day, but right now, he had to focus on the upcoming war, another test in his ability to protect others, and in doing so, he would be able to keep the blonde safe.


	2. Chapter 2

The war had taken its toll on all of the ninja villages, and it would take time to repair all of the damage that Madara and his allies had caused. As Kazekage, Gaara would be fundamental in determining how his own village would address these issues. Though the battles had taken place outside the village, it had not gone unscathed. 

It seemed that as predicted, bandits had attacked while the village was at its weakest. Though the ninja who had stayed behind had successfully defeated their enemies, it did not mean the village didn't show signs of their struggle. In addition, it seemed the white Zetsu had also left their mark. Madara had wanted the villages in disarray, and he had managed to achieve his goal to some extent.

All in all, Gaara thought Sunagakure has gotten off pretty easily. The majority of the damage was superficial, and with time and energy, everything could be rebuilt. Of course, with the casualties of the war, the village was short staffed. Still....it could be worse.

As he stood at the ledge of the Kazekage's mansion, overlooking Suna, he reflected on the outcome of the war. He had known it wouldn't be easy, and there would be casualties but still, there were things that he would never even have imagined could happen.

He'd had to face his father, the previous Kazekage in the front lines. Truth be told, the fight had brought him some much needed relief and closure. At the time, he hadn't been able to consider it, but now, he realized the impact it had on him. He felt he was finally free of his constricting past and would be able to move forward. He had the backing of his entire village, and they were willing to protect him as much as he was willing to protect them. Though it was a rare sight, the thought brought a small smile to the red head's face. 

The end hadn't been anything like Gaara had expected. Much of it was a blur to him, and though Kakashi had explained what happened later, at a meeting of the Kage's, Gaara still couldn't piece it all together. 

 

The new Hokage had told them how Madara had trapped them all in the infinite Tsukiyomi. Gaara had vaguely remembered that, though the vision had been fading away like a far off dream for him. 

________________________________________________

When he'd woken up, it had been to a field of equally confused shinobi, and the war had been over.

After helping to make arrangements for his injured comrades to get medical attention from those who could provide it, he had searched for the other Kage, knowing that the 5 of them would need to give direction to the rest of the army for their next actions.

His search hadn't taken him long. Ay was always easy to spot in a crowd with his overwhelming mass. As soon as Gaara had located him, he made a bee line for the group of Kage, which had already managed to gather together. As the Kazekage neared a sight stopped him cold. He hadn't been able to see it at first, but the Kage weren't just meeting, they had been drawn to the unconscion ninja, now at the center of their hastily made circle. At first, Gaara thought the blonde in the middle of the Kage was dead. There was so much blood As he slowly moved closer, unable to believe it, he could see both Sakura and the now conscious Tsunade kneeling on either side of the fallen ninja, one working medical ninjitsu, while the other was patching his gaping wounds, the most prominent of all, the missing limb on Naruto's right side. 

Feet away from the group, Gaara could see the lifeless body of the rogue ninja, Sasuke Uchiha, his dark eyes empty staring into the sky. It was a tragedy, the loss of a great ninja, but Gaara had expected it, and he easily tore his eyes away from the fallen Uchiha, returning to Naruto.

As if finally noticing his presence, Kakashi turned and slowly made his way to Gaara, knowing the Kazekage was close with the hero of the war. 

“He's alive” Kakashi started, addressing the most pressing issue. “Tsunade and Sakura made sure of that.” he said sounding as tired as he looked.

Gaara nodded. He wanted to ask more, to understand what happened. “What about Madara?” he inquired. Everyone seemed fine, and no Zetsu were around, but he'd missed so much,

“It's a long story, one that can wait for later, but he's gone. The war is over.” he seemed like he wanted to say more, but thought better of it. “For right now, we have to work on taking care of the wounded.” 

Gaara nodded knowing that the leaders of the nations would need to help mobilize their forces to ensure that everyone who could be saved was addressed.

________________________________________________

Gaara stood atop the Kazekage's mansion overlooking his village. It had been months since the war had ended, and for once the village looked like it was slowly getting back to normal.

The first few months after the war were a hectic mess of putting the pieces back together; ensuring all troops were accounted for and treated; dealing with the deaths of lost comrades and trying to figure out what type of future the villages and their people would all have. 

Gaara knew that during this time he would need to be a steady force for his people and inspire them to move forward and stand strong. Weeks of ensuring his village would be safe during its rebuilding stages, meeting with the other leaders to solidify their current alliance, and trade resources had led him to now. Though there was much work to do, he could reflect on the positive outcomes that the war had brought. Villagers walked through the streets below, finally starting to feel safe again, without the fear of an imminent village attack.

Gaara was pulled from his thoughts as a voice from behind him called out his name.

Gaara turned away from the village below to face his older brother. In the past Kankuro would be wary of approaching him, but now his brother seemed at ease. It seemed time could change many things.

“Sorry to interrupt, but we've gotten a message from the Hokage.” Kankuro announced, holding out a scroll with the Hokage's seal. 

The Kazekage and new Hokage had been in contact constantly throughout the past couple of months. All the Kage had, really. It was a weird change that each of them was checking on the health of the other villages. While it could be a tactic to see the strength of their opponents, Gaara hoped that wasn't the case.

Gaara received the scroll from Kankuro and opened it to view the letter. It was a request for a visit from the Kazekage to the leaf village to discuss matters in inter-village support. It mentioned the potential for the leaf to provide support to help with the rebuilding of parts of Suna.

Though such an offer wouldn't usually require a visit from the Kazekage himself, Gaara could tell there was more the Hokage wasn't saying. Kakashi wouldn't pull him away from his village for frivolous matters.

Gaara looked up from his letter to his brother who stood patiently waiting to hear the news from the leaf.

“It seems that Kakashi is requesting our presence in the leaf” he explained.

Kankuro couldn't help but reveal an amused smirk. “Well I can think of one volunteer who wouldn't mind going.”

Gaara stared blankly at his brother, not understanding what the other was trying to imply.

“I guess you haven't noticed Temari volunteering for every mission that goes that way?” Kakuro added, wondering if Gaara was really that oblivious. Sure, in the past his brother had been stoic and emotionless, and he still seemed that way to many people. But Kankuro had seen the change, and knew his brother had made headway in connecting with other people. Unfortunately, it seemed his was still unable to comprehend his sister's ulterior motives for going to the leaf. 

Gaara simple shook his head earning a sigh from the older ninja. “Well, anyway, are we going?” Kankuro asked wondering what could warrant a visit to the leaf.

“Yes. Let Temari know. I'll send a reply, and we will head out tomorrow” 

________________________________________________

It hadn't taken much preparation to be ready for the next day's departure. A small number of supplies had been packed and someone had been appointed to watch over the village in the Kazekage's absence. 

The three sand siblings had made their departure early in the morning as to not waste time. It would take them at most two days of travel, but the note hadn't been urgent, therefore the three felt no need to push that time. 

The trip itself was uneventful, with Temari and Kankuro trading words every so often. Gaara had never been one to promote idle chatter, so he found himself content just listening in and focusing on his own thoughts. 

There was much he still needed to do to lead his village, and ensure the peace that they had all earned would prosper. If helping out other villages in need was part of that, Gaara was willing to work with them,

He knew it would take a lot of cooperation on all sides, but if the war had shown anything, it was that the unity of the villages was something that could be achieved. For the sake of all the progress they had made, he would do what he could.

As they were heading to the leaf, his thoughts drifted onto Naruto. He'd been the hero of the war. It was true, all of Team 7 had taken down Madara and Kaguya, but no one would have made it that far without the ever positive presence of Naruto leading them on. 

A small smile formed on the former Jinchuriki's face at the thought that the peace that Naruto always claimed could happen had come to pass. Naruto had saved so many people and broken through Gaara's shell when no one else could. Gaara was sure the blonde ninja would be ecstatic at all the progress that came from the war. He would make sure that on this trip he would make time to see the other ninja. 

It was with these mildly pleasant thoughts that he made the rest of the journey focusing on the future to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not the most creative with Authors notes yet, so leave me suggestions or feedback! :)
> 
> Also, I promise some Naruto and Gaara interaction next chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone. I've run out of Gaara / Naruto fics to read so I thought I'd give writing one a shot. Any reviews, suggestions etc would be much appreciated.
> 
> This chapter was mostly the set up, so the following will be after a time skip of sorts.  
> Thanks for reading


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